I love how Dan is trying to make a serious point *Mick reaches over and drinks out of comically large water bottle* actually though. That thing must be a half gallon of water! Hydration = Tone
What about daisy chaining just boss od’s? Is that okay or no daisy chaining at all? Thanks for doing what you do. Really enjoy watching you guys That huge water bottle was hysterical. Take care
@@ThatPedalShow Thank you for the reply, I appreciate it. I just have one more question, is it okay to run some pedals through a power supply and some plugged into their own power adapters ? I have Boss PSA-120S adapters for the boss pedals. Is that still isolating power or does it all have to be run through the same power supply? Thank you and take care
Mick, I was going into this kind of similar to you, but once again I learned something new and useful. I never thought of using it in the loop of a cranked amp. Thanks for another good one guys.
Interesting huh. I’d still never use one though. My position is that if you need one, something else in your rig is wrong. And whisper this, but I’ve come to decide that I pretty much dislike all high gain amps. Wowsers. :0)
Amazing video, great demos and explanations, thank you guys!! You’re the best! I just got a preamp Engl E530, really high gain equipment and the noise supressor works just like you say! :-) Cheers! Greeting from Portugal and stay safe, stay healthy.
Even when I’m using a gate/suppressor without a loop, I still prefer to use it first in the chain. My reasoning is that my other pedals don’t have much self-noise, they merely amplify the noise going into them. So if I squash the noise before it goes in, the pedals will be quiet enough. And squashing the noise at the beginning while the signal to noise ratio is still high, I can set the threshold low and retain the most natural sustain/decay. Putting the gate at the end where the signal to noise ratio is worse necessitates raising the threshold, which can kill sustain.
I love the "Silencer" Noise gate by EHX! Don't use it all the time, but if I need one it does a great job and doesn't change my guitar tone! Try one guys!
Bit late to the party here, but what if you’re pickups are causing the noise and you are surrounded in an enclosed space with EMF? Could a noise suppressor or gate help cut the noise? Great video, really informative!
Great demonstration guys! Thanks a lot. Get the different types of noise that you are describing, having experienced all of them myself, but (and forgive me if you mentioned this in passing and I missed it), what is that particular type of noise that is dramatically reduced as soon as you touch the strings or other metal on the guitar? Many thanks if you can offer an answer!
Do you guys still hear the hum in the background during the video? Because that is what Im experiencing with my 6505 when effects loop is engaged, even with NS-2 in there, there is this low frequency hum that doesnt go away. anyone has the same issue?
can we send this to some sound guys too.... I actually had a guy crank my gain because it "wasn't brutal enough" put it fully on 10.... horrible feedback for the whole gig and didn't like it when i gave him the finger and rolled it back to where I needed it
Every Time I feel like I have a handle on guitar info, you guys come along and show me I know nothing. Asymetrically wound? I had no idea that was a thing! I used to think I hated learning. You both have showed me that while I HATED school, I absolutely love learning. Cheers gents. Never stop.
This is going to be such a useful episode for so many players out there. We get emails every week from people asking about how to rid noise from their systems so I'll be pointing a lot of folks to this video. I like Mick's point about single-coil hum being a part of that guitar's sound.
For a time I thought the buzz from my amp was a power supply issue. Nope. It was the effects loop of Marshall JCM and an ESP noise suppressor did the trick. For high gain patches, I need to loop in a TCE Sentry to kill the bad frequencies that come up in the gain. To know all that hiss, crackle and buzz is not there anymore does make your tone cleaner, more palatable. It's subtle, but its there particular the higher volumes you go.
I think the issue is less to do with the single coils themselves but the hum that’s increased when it’s run through pedals and amplified. I use both your SlideRig and Cali76 pedals..the larger format versions. Running a SlideRig into a wah into a Fuzz and into my modulation pedals. All that with my Strat (even with noiseless pickups) sounds incredibly noisy and as such I’ve struggled to record using that setup. I’ve just been using my Roger Linn Andrenalinn iii pedal and just going direct. I really don’t think the argument of “its part of the guitar’s sound” is practical when you are trying to get the best guitar sound in a home recording sense.
I would say the ISP Decimator G String is the best noise suppressor/gate on the market today. For me it's not so much a problem with the guitar itself, like I said I have noiseless pickups in my Elite Stratocaster but soon as I run it through my SlideRig and into a Fuzz it's noise city. Living with the noise or accepting it as part of the guitar's sound is a bogus argument. It may be all well and good in a live setting or if you are in a punk or Grindcore band but it's not realistic when you are laying down a guitar part in a score for a motion picture or when it's so noticeable in the mix to the point where it's distracting.
It's like, Dan shows his metal/shred roots once in a while and he's at home. He does the blues kind of stuff and stumbles because it's not his thing. Just shred Dan, SHRED AWAY. Mick, you can chug decently too tho
Let's cut right to it...it's time for a new Grammy category and time for these two fellows to be recognized for the sheer body of and value of the work they have done...! Talent...this is as good as it gets. EXCELLENT as usual!
Larry Marseglia I fully agree. Best guitar gear show. I have learned so much in a short (and in guitar universe, a few years is short) period for absolutely free. Not 1 shop will take the time to explain even 5% of what these amazing guys do. This show deserves so much more subscribers. Now I'm going to order the TPS shirt Mick is wearing. Thank you so much guys!
Great show (again). Thanks. Humble request here please: Might you be able to put up on screen a "napkin-sketch" of the signal chain/path at the end of each vid.? I know there's a lot of the G2 wizardry going on, but when Dan said the guitar goes into the NS, is that direct and then the out of the NS goes into G2? Or is there a loop out from the G2 going into the NS which then does a merry dance around any number of combinations of loop/pedals then split into humdingers then back to the input of amp(s) then... etc. For me a very basic sketch would be most useful in the learning curve... Thanks again.
Getting the Boss NS-2 installed on my board has been a game changer (all my gain pedals going through the NS-2 loop). I'm working with a singer who is sensitive to amp noise and this is a great solution as well as helping in with the textured ambient playing I like to indulge in at home. Even playing in a regular reggae band, it works a treat. Every now and then I switch the NS-2 off to see what its doing and wow the noise is loud, and definitely not missed. And it's important to note, when you are playing the amp hum and the noise of the single coils are fully there in the sound, so nothing is lost. Many thanks as always TPS for a great overview and information!
Important episode - thanks for doing that. The need for clean and isolated power can not be over emphasized. I learned it the hard way 🤬 Dan has been very polite in not mentioning it - I have no connection to the company whatsoever but I wanted to say: his modular GigRig power system is just the absolute best solution out there. Small, light, powerful, clean, modular ... just absolutely stellar ... my wallet is in pain after buying so much of it, but it is worth it. All noise, hum, cable mess, daisy chain troubles are history now. Trying to save money in the power system is not the way to go. If the pedals are worth it for us, the power must be too.
Totally agree. A quality power supply with isolated power is the way to go. So may guitar players object to spending money on their power supply and wonder why their set up sounds crap when they get tons of noise, hum etc. I use the T-Rex Junior it’s an awesome power supply and I run half a dozen pedals with zero noise.
i know it seems silly. but please do a video on tuners... there an essential. and ive always wondered why you have the di'addario or the strobe? please do one. everyone i know wants it ;')
Daniel Harper big issue with tuners is always how easy they are to read in bright sunlight. So, outside broadcast needed for That Tuner Episode. Before the British summer ends. This weekend really...
Ooooookay. We use the D’Addario because it works and they sent it to us. Nice and bright, big display. I use the TU-3s, Mick here. Dan uses the Sonic Research jobbe. Very personal decision. Cheers!
Basically get a Korg or Boss... Done. - I've had the TU-2 for over maybe 15 years, still working despited being stomped on very regularly. - The only reason I'd want a different one is the looks and design and perhaps newer ones would respond a little quicker. But every time I just kinda shrug and don't bother replacing it, cause it's still like new and doing nothing wrong actually.
keep in mind that having a meter that shows how many cents off-pitch a note is can be crucial for some musicians picky about intonation/temperment. Check out guitarist James Taylor's youtube video on how he tunes his guitar. Honestly I can't hear the difference when I follow his oddly specific instruction vs standard tuning. Some people have 8 strings with a fanned fretboard, and the advice may not apply to them. Others rely on a trem/whammy to fine tune each note they play and DGAF about tuning.
@@ThatPedalShow two things in observation here. 1 being that the lights interfering with lights etc. I'd recommend getting your guitars shielded as it will help reduce noise
Mick preferring the sentry off - I just got one and it definitely kills some very high end and attack in my signal: like every other TC pedal I’ve bought and then sold. I don’t know why I don’t learn my lesson w TC electronic. My noise issue is so bad right now that I’ll keep it on, but I’m already looking for a replacement.
Dan and Mick haven’t heard Metal since 1986. 😂😂😂😂😉 Maybe if you bring Rabea for a Metal equivalent of this, you can get Kevin Shields and do a proper Shoegaze show.
It wasn't your imagination -- I've heard that "weird phasing sound" with all TC products I've ever tried, Spark boost excepted. Something about their A/D conversion, I reckon.
Shh.. don't tell them that the 'Noiseless' pickups that Fender sold them are actually humbuckers. I almost bought a Player Plus Tele, but couldn't get on with the pickups. A little research told me why: They are simply 'stacked' humbuckers.
What about AC RFI/EMF filtering prior to amplifier? Products like the electro harmonix hum debugger is an incredible type of noise cancellation design it pretty much elimonates Single coil electrical noises with little to no color to your town it’s not a noise gate or really a suppressor it’s some crazy magic circuit all its own not quite sure how to describe it but it’s quite unique in the way operates and how well
you guys were saying how you wish somebody would take that plexi off your hands so you would have more room to do your thing. I will help you out and take it off your hands
I use the Boss NS2 and the TC Sentry for specific purposes (ideal for synth pedals like the EHX 9 series). Mick noticing that the Sentry changed the tone is spot on - it's digital so therefore there is A/D conversion and some latency, hence the phase change Mick noticed. TC don't publicise this but this is how they can do frequency gating in the digital domain. The Boss is totally analog with a colored sound. The Boss is not capable of hard gating and It is not intentionally changing the frequencies either. It is really an Envelope Controlled Amp. This means that the amplitude of the gate follows the amplitude of the input signal. That can be either very useful or very annoying. Saturated signals basically are brickwall limited and don't have much dynamics left. The NS2 can be used to impose the original guitar dynamics onto the saturated signal. But for synth or metal sounds we may not want this. That is where a hard gate can be much better - where the gate is either on or off like a switch and does not change the dynamics in between. The TC can do this. The Decimator is pure analog signal path whith sophisticated hard gating which is why I believe it rules for metal. At 52:30 when Mick notices that the reverb is gated he is correct. It is the NS dynamic behaviour that was letting some reverb through but when he damped the strings the reverb got shut off too. Time based FX don't make much noise and could be inserted *after* the noise gate but still in the amp FX loop. That would allow the reverb tails to ring out fully and mask the hard gating. Some metal guys use two noise gates but I don't see the need for this if it's done correctly with the clean envelope detection immediately from the guitar, and the actual gating done immediately after the final dry sound stage but before any wet FX that need to ring out. Great show :)
Excellent episode guys. Just hearing that you guys are actually getting the same noise that I do and that it is normal alleviated so many worries. You also presented great solutions. Thanks so much. On a side note, the lighting is improving as you guys are getting used to your new digs. It looks a lot brighter without sacrificing warmth. Keep it up guys and thanks as always.
I am always amazed as to how you guys take what seems to be a simple pedal, into a science experiment, AND have it all make perfect sense. I have a whole new respect for power isolation and when to use a gate (even if the hiss got really grating at times - lol). And one thought, might be good to put a cabling graphic up when talking signal chain. I'm not sure I get how it was setup, but would be nice to see it visually. Thanks guys!
What's the steady low hum I'm hearing throughout the entire show? Really annoying after a while... Oh, right... it was the fridge in the room next to me.
I was just sitting here thinking about that. After years of modeler amps/pedalboards and bedroom playing I’ve joined a band and bought myself a proper amp rig and have started buying pedals and I’m trying to make sense of it all, then I was watching this thinking “oh god that must be unbearable in the room” then I realized my computer, fridge, air conditioner, etc all making so much noise all the time that I’ve just grown immune to. not that I don’t feel like a noise suppressor wouldn’t help, but I guess I don’t need to go throw another $200 or so down the drain after I’ve just bought another pedal this week.
Hey Daniel and Mick, the TC gate is probably the worst gate ever to take as an example. And you’re right Mick noticing a difference in loosing frequencies, when turned on. It’s a shame you didn’t have the ISP G-string, because it is by far the best gate pedal on the market.
I love my MXR Smart Gate! There is nothing out there that sounds as natural and cleans up your noise as well. Not weird harsh cut offs when ringing out notes. Try it out!
Great episode! I was using an ISP decimator g string and it worked great for some time. But once I discovered my power supplies were causing proximity noise I replaced those and my rig was quiet as a mouse.
I've been wanting an independent video on this subject for so long, thank you guys so much for giving me the info I need so I know what do to when I look for pedals for my dream board
Just bought JHS Muffuletta and I am so disappointed with it...I do not know if mine is defective but it is the noisiest pedal that I have...it hums...feedbacks...super sensitive to string touch...the switches are noisy...and I can hear blurp2 sound when no signal is present....is the muffuletta supposed to be noisy? I have to put it before a noise suppressor and it becomes bearable...it is almost unusable in my opinion...
The Stone Deaf Noise Reaper is a good option if you're in the UK. No noticeable difference from the Zuul or ISP Decimator. All three were keyed from sidechain in my comparisons
Great episode. Sometimes I watch tps just for fun, sometimes it’s to solve a problem with my guitar tone. Today was the later, and I’m glad I did. I need to tame down the noise from my combination of boost and fuzz. I’m not a super high-gainer, but I like being able to roll my guitar volume knob to get anything from thick fuzzy goodness to chimey OD. The Land Devices harmonic percolator is perfect for that, but especially with my always on dirtyish boost in front of it, the noise is massive (even with an isolated power supply, MXR Iso-Brick)!
Hello Dan & Mick; Could you please do an episode to address us folks that have two or more amps in residential setting and we need to isolate the power to the amps. How can we do that? What methods or equipment do we need to remove the ground loop hum?
I’m sure this will be a useful episode for a lot of people. Personally I find the hum of single coils and noise from a dimed fuzz rather reassuring that everything is about to sound glorious😄
That Pedal Show I have an AC30 with only the one pedal (Wampler Plexi Drive) and for some reason when I plug it in via amp and guitar, it makes a lot of noise. Is this because the power adapter I use to power the pedal is terrible?
George Richards It could be. Make sure what you use is the proper volts and ma(milliamps) for the best result. Does your Vox have a Bright, or second channel, that gets more of the noise? Because your using a Marshall in a box style pedal, with your Vox, so you want to have your amp set right as well. Wampler will answer questions on his channel quite often, maybe email him. It doesn't hurt to try. Did you see the episode the boys did on Fuzz/distortion with Vox amps? It's a good one you might find interesting, if you haven't already.
I tried them all and owned a few. I use 60 pedals. YES 60. They are in 5 loops. The dirt pedals are in 3 and I use 3 Sentry gates. I have no problems at all. The Sentry are the very best!!!
One thing I should add. Once setup for your particular rig you can leave it alone. But before I do a tune you reset the decay knob with a minor tweak to just get the right perfection for the tune I'm doing and the pedals I have selected. I can tighten up parts of tune like when playing chords for backing a vocal when I use a medium gain OD. It makes all the parts I play come off like the sound you hear on recordings where the engineer has cleaned up all the slop. I couldn't live without them. Without them the overall sound sounds crude and amateur.
Loved this episode. It is so much better now with me recording via a clean amp with a power brick instead of daisy chaining. Always find the shows useful from you guys. Thank you. :)
If you applied a gate or suppressor to the music of half the bands I grew up listening to I would have grown up listening to half as many bands. Bassplayers, Drummers, Keys and Singers need to watch this video. One of the main reasons I use VN pups in our covers band is because the Bassist thinks single-coil hum is "not good" or "not right". I have given up trying to explain, so put away Strat #1 w/proper Stratty singles and use Strat#2 w/USA Vintage Noiseless pups. If Dan's Blonde is "Butters" then Big Red has to be "Cartman". South Park Teles.
Evan Ward it's a decent pedal. Wish I would have known about the G-string before I picked it up, tbh. Anywhere between 12, and 1 o'clock, the decimator 2 really starts affecting tone
Don’t forget the merit of the in-between pickup positions when using single coils. I’ve had to change all the lighting in my studio due to interference from transformers. This is such a great subject guys thanks for covering it.
The thing I didn't realise at first about the NS-2 (and similar pedals) is that the level detection and gate/expander happen in different places. Using the NS-2 jack labelling, the level detection happens between Input and Send, and the gate/expander is applied between Return and Output. That is, the Input signal is a sidechain for the gate/expander. This arrangement lets you use the lowest-noise, uncompressed signal for the level detector (by plugging your guitar straight in to the Input), and it doesn't matter how much extra noise is present in the signal coming back into the pedal's Return, it'll get muted when the guitar is quiet. So, put your wah, compressor, boost, distortion, preamp, etc. between the Send and Return. Then route the pedal's Output into your amp's Return (yes, the pedal won't reduce noise from your amp's power stage, but that shouldn't be a problem). And, as explained in the video, you should place any delay/reverb effects after the pedal's Output so it won't be gated as well (unless that's what you're going for). About the only issues with the scheme are: 1) the fadeout/gate when you cross the threshold can be abrupt, especially if you're relying on feedback to sustain a note or chord, and 2) changing conditions as you move around can raise the guitar's noise level above the threshold. And 3) the potential confusion of the extra cabling and having the amp in the pedal's FX loop and the pedal in the amp's FX loop simultaneously. :)
Loved your approach to this complex topic about noise - you guys are always teaching me new things - nicely done! I just started using a TC Sentry for my P90 LP when pulling high gain out of my Marshall amp. Easy to switch the Sentry off when the gain is dialed back and its not needed. I just run it in the effects loop, but I will have to try the setup you used today. That Boss noise suppressor did a nice job as well ... hmmm. Loved that P90 guitar Mick! The creamy tones you pulled out of that guitar were amazing! 60 cycle hum is something to be embraced, not feared :)
Very informative video. I've been enlightened. I'm a Bass Guitarist, I'm using the EHX Hum Cancelling pedal at the moment, coz our power here can be atrocious, and there's lots of interference. I've learned so much. Thank you. Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
I don like Dumble amp holders, BUTT i do like Dumblish pedals A WHOLE WHALE LOT! like the TOMSLINE Dumbler.........Mr Alfred , theres A klon pedal...............................,I just dialed in a pretty tone with a Mad prof simble, an its a complicated pedal.?!. maybe because Im finnish its so nice the Simble, , bout hte KLON no I have the TC EL Mojomo n does the Mosky Silver Horse do the same not of course, BUTT width a LOT of respect , for el guitar pedal SHOW! i must say your ears are good to go another one for thw road , Ive got immense pleasure of seeing you alive by livechat...., THE TWO PEDALS that Ive bought are Mad Professor SIMBLE n the DUDE, ..., lately I also bought 1 120W laney back ( repaired not by me), and I own 8 ZOOM G2s for hum gates& usurpers,,,,, for sixties hum ( for I was born 65), I have the EHX HUM debugger, so what shall I say to you two,,ILL say it again, Im a tube amplifier owner ( Laney TF300), ,I bought another one of thiose EHX Hum Debuggers, cuz I ainnt buying jazz from astranger, nor an amp for an coustic,,,,, headroom?
If I were a communist dictator, I would require all citizens to power their pedal boards using Dan's GigRig power supply system (expensive G2 optional for teachers). Dan, you changed this poor country school teacher's life, and I thank you good sir.
Talk to me in a year when I have the money. In the meantime, I make do with two cheap-ish bricks (one "regulated but not individually isolated", one with 8 properly isolated outputs) and a couple of separate adapters. Yes, it looks messy but it works. Total cost
I love how natural and how unforced these guys act, it just makes the viewing experience . It’s so much nicer over the usual shouty delivery of other content creators
William Campbell I like the sarcasm, however I don’t think you understood my point. What I mean is that they don’t look like they put on some false persona i.e: they don’t act overly enthusiastic, shout lots and attempt to force comedy nor do they actively make out like everything they try is the best thing since sliced bread.
Still saving for the whole G2 system for a big board however at the moment my small gig board, used all the time, uses a 1 spot daisy to power a D+M and a keeley comp only, then i have an HX FX and use its included supply...i also have a 1 spot cs12 brick on my medium board, its great...great episode guys!
There's a T shirt for you. "With great power, comes great isolation."
CodyMBB I would buy at least two of those shirts.
Not sure how well this comment aged
@@danadrian2752 Very Badly hahahahahahahahah
@@danadrian2752 🤣🤣🤣
Excellent 🤣👍👍
I love how Dan is trying to make a serious point *Mick reaches over and drinks out of comically large water bottle* actually though. That thing must be a half gallon of water! Hydration = Tone
What about daisy chaining just boss od’s? Is that okay or no daisy chaining at all?
Thanks for doing what you do.
Really enjoy watching you guys
That huge water bottle was hysterical.
Take care
It can be done Brian, but we’d never do it. Shared earth is where the hums happen, regardlesss of pedal type. Cheers!
@@ThatPedalShow Thank you for the reply, I appreciate it.
I just have one more question, is it okay to run some pedals through a power supply and some plugged into their own power adapters ? I have Boss PSA-120S adapters for the boss pedals. Is that still isolating power or does it all have to be run through the same power supply?
Thank you and take care
Mick, I was going into this kind of similar to you, but once again I learned something new and useful. I never thought of using it in the loop of a cranked amp. Thanks for another good one guys.
Interesting huh. I’d still never use one though. My position is that if you need one, something else in your rig is wrong. And whisper this, but I’ve come to decide that I pretty much dislike all high gain amps. Wowsers. :0)
Amazing video, great demos and explanations, thank you guys!! You’re the best! I just got a preamp Engl E530, really high gain equipment and the noise supressor works just like you say! :-)
Cheers!
Greeting from Portugal and stay safe, stay healthy.
Even when I’m using a gate/suppressor without a loop, I still prefer to use it first in the chain. My reasoning is that my other pedals don’t have much self-noise, they merely amplify the noise going into them. So if I squash the noise before it goes in, the pedals will be quiet enough. And squashing the noise at the beginning while the signal to noise ratio is still high, I can set the threshold low and retain the most natural sustain/decay. Putting the gate at the end where the signal to noise ratio is worse necessitates raising the threshold, which can kill sustain.
I love the "Silencer" Noise gate by EHX! Don't use it all the time, but if I need one it does a great job and doesn't change my guitar tone! Try one guys!
Mick, You should pan the 2 amps left and right. The different dynamic responses give a hugerer sound
So weird seing Dan (and Mick!) willingly playing metal! Loved it, as per
Bit late to the party here, but what if you’re pickups are causing the noise and you are surrounded in an enclosed space with EMF? Could a noise suppressor or gate help cut the noise? Great video, really informative!
Very educational - I learn a lot!
Great video as usual, and QUITE useful. Just a quick question : how about a buffer? before or after the noise suppressor pedal?
on the intro.......DAN......GUITAR GOD
Great demonstration guys! Thanks a lot. Get the different types of noise that you are describing, having experienced all of them myself, but (and forgive me if you mentioned this in passing and I missed it), what is that particular type of noise that is dramatically reduced as soon as you touch the strings or other metal on the guitar? Many thanks if you can offer an answer!
Do you guys still hear the hum in the background during the video? Because that is what Im experiencing with my 6505 when effects loop is engaged, even with NS-2 in there, there is this low frequency hum that doesnt go away. anyone has the same issue?
can we send this to some sound guys too.... I actually had a guy crank my gain because it "wasn't brutal enough" put it fully on 10.... horrible feedback for the whole gig and didn't like it when i gave him the finger and rolled it back to where I needed it
Starts video saying you never need a noise suppressor. Then spends an hour making a case for why you should have one. Lol
And 66 minutes are still not enough to mention that both the pedals have both a gate and a suppressor function.
I always wear a tinfoil hat when I play guitar. Perfect for that electromagnetic interference.
This is the correct answer.
Saved my time on this video. Id rather buy a noise supressor than watch this hour long video :D
Ok chuck mcgill
Every Time I feel like I have a handle on guitar info, you guys come along and show me I know nothing. Asymetrically wound? I had no idea that was a thing! I used to think I hated learning. You both have showed me that while I HATED school, I absolutely love learning. Cheers gents. Never stop.
Ah that’s awesome Eran :)))
This is funny. You don't need a noise gate! *constant noise throughout the entire video*
These deaf boys can't hear the CONSTANT noise
Dan, hearing you play Raining Blood made my morning.
Also, I was surprised that white Ibanez Jem didn't make an appearance.
This is going to be such a useful episode for so many players out there. We get emails every week from people asking about how to rid noise from their systems so I'll be pointing a lot of folks to this video. I like Mick's point about single-coil hum being a part of that guitar's sound.
For a time I thought the buzz from my amp was a power supply issue. Nope. It was the effects loop of Marshall JCM and an ESP noise suppressor did the trick. For high gain patches, I need to loop in a TCE Sentry to kill the bad frequencies that come up in the gain. To know all that hiss, crackle and buzz is not there anymore does make your tone cleaner, more palatable. It's subtle, but its there particular the higher volumes you go.
I think the issue is less to do with the single coils themselves but the hum that’s increased when it’s run through pedals and amplified. I use both your SlideRig and Cali76 pedals..the larger format versions. Running a SlideRig into a wah into a Fuzz and into my modulation pedals. All that with my Strat (even with noiseless pickups) sounds incredibly noisy and as such I’ve struggled to record using that setup. I’ve just been using my Roger Linn Andrenalinn iii pedal and just going direct. I really don’t think the argument of “its part of the guitar’s sound” is practical when you are trying to get the best guitar sound in a home recording sense.
I would say the ISP Decimator G String is the best noise suppressor/gate on the market today.
For me it's not so much a problem with the guitar itself, like I said I have noiseless pickups in my Elite Stratocaster but soon as I run it through my SlideRig and into a Fuzz it's noise city.
Living with the noise or accepting it as part of the guitar's sound is a bogus argument. It may be all well and good in a live setting or if you are in a punk or Grindcore band but it's not realistic when you are laying down a guitar part in a score for a motion picture or when it's so noticeable in the mix to the point where it's distracting.
Well man at the end of the day you get what you can afford. Unfortunately top quality stuff is priced accordingly.
Like I said...get what you can afford.
It's like, Dan shows his metal/shred roots once in a while and he's at home. He does the blues kind of stuff and stumbles because it's not his thing. Just shred Dan, SHRED AWAY.
Mick, you can chug decently too tho
Let's cut right to it...it's time for a new Grammy category and time for these two fellows to be recognized for the sheer body of and value of the work they have done...! Talent...this is as good as it gets. EXCELLENT as usual!
Larry Marseglia I fully agree. Best guitar gear show. I have learned so much in a short (and in guitar universe, a few years is short) period for absolutely free. Not 1 shop will take the time to explain even 5% of what these amazing guys do.
This show deserves so much more subscribers.
Now I'm going to order the TPS shirt Mick is wearing.
Thank you so much guys!
Great show (again). Thanks.
Humble request here please: Might you be able to put up on screen a "napkin-sketch" of the signal chain/path at the end of each vid.?
I know there's a lot of the G2 wizardry going on, but when Dan said the guitar goes into the NS, is that direct and then the out of the NS goes into G2? Or is there a loop out from the G2 going into the NS which then does a merry dance around any number of combinations of loop/pedals then split into humdingers then back to the input of amp(s) then... etc. For me a very basic sketch would be most useful in the learning curve...
Thanks again.
Getting the Boss NS-2 installed on my board has been a game changer (all my gain pedals going through the NS-2 loop). I'm working with a singer who is sensitive to amp noise and this is a great solution as well as helping in with the textured ambient playing I like to indulge in at home. Even playing in a regular reggae band, it works a treat. Every now and then I switch the NS-2 off to see what its doing and wow the noise is loud, and definitely not missed. And it's important to note, when you are playing the amp hum and the noise of the single coils are fully there in the sound, so nothing is lost.
Many thanks as always TPS for a great overview and information!
Hi, how do you set all your gain pedas through the NS-2 loop?
I found a solution against that
I took my guitar and sent it back to Thomann and got a guitar with active EMG instead
You're welcome
Seems like every week you add a thousand subscribers to the channel. Love it. Keep up the great work, guys!
Important episode - thanks for doing that. The need for clean and isolated power can not be over emphasized. I learned it the hard way 🤬 Dan has been very polite in not mentioning it - I have no connection to the company whatsoever but I wanted to say: his modular GigRig power system is just the absolute best solution out there. Small, light, powerful, clean, modular ... just absolutely stellar ... my wallet is in pain after buying so much of it, but it is worth it. All noise, hum, cable mess, daisy chain troubles are history now. Trying to save money in the power system is not the way to go. If the pedals are worth it for us, the power must be too.
Totally agree. A quality power supply with isolated power is the way to go. So may guitar players object to spending money on their power supply and wonder why their set up sounds crap when they get tons of noise, hum etc. I use the T-Rex Junior it’s an awesome power supply and I run half a dozen pedals with zero noise.
Saw the NS-2 in action today and went out and bought one used at my local shop... best $40 I've spent on my board.
i know it seems silly. but please do a video on tuners... there an essential. and ive always wondered why you have the di'addario or the strobe? please do one. everyone i know wants it ;')
Daniel Harper big issue with tuners is always how easy they are to read in bright sunlight. So, outside broadcast needed for That Tuner Episode. Before the British summer ends. This weekend really...
Ooooookay. We use the D’Addario because it works and they sent it to us. Nice and bright, big display. I use the TU-3s, Mick here. Dan uses the Sonic Research jobbe. Very personal decision. Cheers!
Basically get a Korg or Boss... Done. - I've had the TU-2 for over maybe 15 years, still working despited being stomped on very regularly. - The only reason I'd want a different one is the looks and design and perhaps newer ones would respond a little quicker. But every time I just kinda shrug and don't bother replacing it, cause it's still like new and doing nothing wrong actually.
keep in mind that having a meter that shows how many cents off-pitch a note is can be crucial for some musicians picky about intonation/temperment. Check out guitarist James Taylor's youtube video on how he tunes his guitar.
Honestly I can't hear the difference when I follow his oddly specific instruction vs standard tuning. Some people have 8 strings with a fanned fretboard, and the advice may not apply to them. Others rely on a trem/whammy to fine tune each note they play and DGAF about tuning.
@@ThatPedalShow two things in observation here. 1 being that the lights interfering with lights etc. I'd recommend getting your guitars shielded as it will help reduce noise
Really, really looking forward to the show where you bring Rabea on again!. Stop teasing!
That ending was the best thing that ever happened on TPS
They literally look like Beavis and Butthead rockin out.
I'm happy for Bea to become That Pedal Show's resident Djent/Prog expert.
Mick preferring the sentry off - I just got one and it definitely kills some very high end and attack in my signal: like every other TC pedal I’ve bought and then sold. I don’t know why I don’t learn my lesson w TC electronic. My noise issue is so bad right now that I’ll keep it on, but I’m already looking for a replacement.
Interesting, I have the sentry and im thinking of trying the boss ns-2
You need Jazzmasters and compare the P90 pickups with the Jazzmaster
Erjim Delos Reyes agreed
That guy on the left use a p90 and it sounds fine without noise gate
Jazzmaster pickups are very noisy. It would have been great to include them.
38:57 Raining Blood time! You two are awesome!!!!!
Mitja Jalovec SLAAAAAAAYER!!!
Dan and Mick haven’t heard Metal since 1986. 😂😂😂😂😉
Maybe if you bring Rabea for a Metal equivalent of this, you can get Kevin Shields and do a proper Shoegaze show.
It wasn't your imagination -- I've heard that "weird phasing sound" with all TC products I've ever tried, Spark boost excepted. Something about their A/D conversion, I reckon.
Never did get on with TC so maybe that's why
Shh.. don't tell them that the 'Noiseless' pickups that Fender sold them are actually humbuckers. I almost bought a Player Plus Tele, but couldn't get on with the pickups. A little research told me why: They are simply 'stacked' humbuckers.
16:46 Mick demonstrates how the light saber sound was achieved
What about AC RFI/EMF filtering prior to amplifier? Products like the electro harmonix hum debugger is an incredible type of noise cancellation design it pretty much elimonates Single coil electrical noises with little to no color to your town it’s not a noise gate or really a suppressor it’s some crazy magic circuit all its own not quite sure how to describe it but it’s quite unique in the way operates and how well
I find the 1 spot pro 7 to be a great power supply, I've never had noise issues using it.
you guys were saying how you wish somebody would take that plexi off your hands so you would have more room to do your thing. I will help you out and take it off your hands
I use the Boss NS2 and the TC Sentry for specific purposes (ideal for synth pedals like the EHX 9 series). Mick noticing that the Sentry changed the tone is spot on - it's digital so therefore there is A/D conversion and some latency, hence the phase change Mick noticed. TC don't publicise this but this is how they can do frequency gating in the digital domain. The Boss is totally analog with a colored sound. The Boss is not capable of hard gating and It is not intentionally changing the frequencies either. It is really an Envelope Controlled Amp. This means that the amplitude of the gate follows the amplitude of the input signal. That can be either very useful or very annoying. Saturated signals basically are brickwall limited and don't have much dynamics left. The NS2 can be used to impose the original guitar dynamics onto the saturated signal. But for synth or metal sounds we may not want this. That is where a hard gate can be much better - where the gate is either on or off like a switch and does not change the dynamics in between. The TC can do this. The Decimator is pure analog signal path whith sophisticated hard gating which is why I believe it rules for metal. At 52:30 when Mick notices that the reverb is gated he is correct. It is the NS dynamic behaviour that was letting some reverb through but when he damped the strings the reverb got shut off too. Time based FX don't make much noise and could be inserted *after* the noise gate but still in the amp FX loop. That would allow the reverb tails to ring out fully and mask the hard gating. Some metal guys use two noise gates but I don't see the need for this if it's done correctly with the clean envelope detection immediately from the guitar, and the actual gating done immediately after the final dry sound stage but before any wet FX that need to ring out. Great show :)
Dan, it’s not Red, but i have to say I am liking butters more and more...
Excellent episode guys. Just hearing that you guys are actually getting the same noise that I do and that it is normal alleviated so many worries. You also presented great solutions. Thanks so much. On a side note, the lighting is improving as you guys are getting used to your new digs. It looks a lot brighter without sacrificing warmth. Keep it up guys and thanks as always.
Does this mean the best solution is to play guitar in a field, powered by a generator? Sounds fun
thank fuzz it's friday!
so with power supply should i get? any recommendations?
I am always amazed as to how you guys take what seems to be a simple pedal, into a science experiment, AND have it all make perfect sense. I have a whole new respect for power isolation and when to use a gate (even if the hiss got really grating at times - lol). And one thought, might be good to put a cabling graphic up when talking signal chain. I'm not sure I get how it was setup, but would be nice to see it visually. Thanks guys!
What's the steady low hum I'm hearing throughout the entire show? Really annoying after a while...
Oh, right... it was the fridge in the room next to me.
I was just sitting here thinking about that. After years of modeler amps/pedalboards and bedroom playing I’ve joined a band and bought myself a proper amp rig and have started buying pedals and I’m trying to make sense of it all, then I was watching this thinking “oh god that must be unbearable in the room” then I realized my computer, fridge, air conditioner, etc all making so much noise all the time that I’ve just grown immune to. not that I don’t feel like a noise suppressor wouldn’t help, but I guess I don’t need to go throw another $200 or so down the drain after I’ve just bought another pedal this week.
My dog is snoring
Isp decimator is great, especially to kill hum between songs
I got hooked by a Tosin Abasi Pedalboard video and got my ISP Decimator II. Never looked back.
Hey Daniel and Mick, the TC gate is probably the worst gate ever to take as an example. And you’re right Mick noticing a difference in loosing frequencies, when turned on. It’s a shame you didn’t have the ISP G-string, because it is by far the best gate pedal on the market.
I love my MXR Smart Gate! There is nothing out there that sounds as natural and cleans up your noise as well. Not weird harsh cut offs when ringing out notes. Try it out!
Keep your cell phone away from your guitar cable too.
Mooer Noise Killer? Should be delivered tomorrow, see how well it works soon
9:30 "If you don't power your pedals right, NOTHING else matters".
one of my fuzzs only sounds right with batterys on that note
I used to need a noise gate....isolated power from gig rig and a G2 has made me forget all about that 🤙
Great episode! I was using an ISP decimator g string and it worked great for some time. But once I discovered my power supplies were causing proximity noise I replaced those and my rig was quiet as a mouse.
Hooray. :0)
I want that long sleeve purple shirt!!!
I've been wanting an independent video on this subject for so long, thank you guys so much for giving me the info I need so I know what do to when I look for pedals for my dream board
Just bought JHS Muffuletta and I am so disappointed with it...I do not know if mine is defective but it is the noisiest pedal that I have...it hums...feedbacks...super sensitive to string touch...the switches are noisy...and I can hear blurp2 sound when no signal is present....is the muffuletta supposed to be noisy? I have to put it before a noise suppressor and it becomes bearable...it is almost unusable in my opinion...
Did you get it repaired/returned?
So Rabea would be a true gent that djents whereas you two are gents that don't djent? That's my gentle jest for the day.
...while Rabea's guitar djently weeps.
I djen[uflec]t before the master. :D
The Stone Deaf Noise Reaper is a good option if you're in the UK. No noticeable difference from the Zuul or ISP Decimator. All three were keyed from sidechain in my comparisons
Great episode. Sometimes I watch tps just for fun, sometimes it’s to solve a problem with my guitar tone. Today was the later, and I’m glad I did. I need to tame down the noise from my combination of boost and fuzz. I’m not a super high-gainer, but I like being able to roll my guitar volume knob to get anything from thick fuzzy goodness to chimey OD. The Land Devices harmonic percolator is perfect for that, but especially with my always on dirtyish boost in front of it, the noise is massive (even with an isolated power supply, MXR Iso-Brick)!
Hello Dan & Mick; Could you please do an episode to address us folks that have two or more amps in residential setting and we need to isolate the power to the amps.
How can we do that? What methods or equipment do we need to remove the ground loop hum?
Hello! Check out our videos on using two amps / the stereo videos and anything pertaining to wet-dry. We discuss that there!
I’m sure this will be a useful episode for a lot of people. Personally I find the hum of single coils and noise from a dimed fuzz rather reassuring that everything is about to sound glorious😄
I’m 100 per cent with you. Mick here.
absolutely yes
This is the proper way o' things. ✊🏼
That Pedal Show I have an AC30 with only the one pedal (Wampler Plexi Drive) and for some reason when I plug it in via amp and guitar, it makes a lot of noise. Is this because the power adapter I use to power the pedal is terrible?
George Richards
It could be. Make sure what you use is the proper volts and ma(milliamps) for the best result.
Does your Vox have a Bright, or second channel, that gets more of the noise? Because your using a Marshall in a box style pedal, with your Vox, so you want to have your amp set right as well.
Wampler will answer questions on his channel quite often, maybe email him. It doesn't hurt to try.
Did you see the episode the boys did on Fuzz/distortion with Vox amps? It's a good one you might find interesting, if you haven't already.
OR.... Skip to 34 Minutes!
Great show gents. Loved the Slayer!
I tried them all and owned a few. I use 60 pedals. YES 60. They are in 5 loops. The dirt pedals are in 3 and I use 3 Sentry gates. I have no problems at all. The Sentry are the very best!!!
One thing I should add. Once setup for your particular rig you can leave it alone. But before I do a tune you reset the decay knob with a minor tweak to just get the right perfection for the tune I'm doing and the pedals I have selected. I can tighten up parts of tune like when playing chords for backing a vocal when I use a medium gain OD. It makes all the parts I play come off like the sound you hear on recordings where the engineer has cleaned up all the slop. I couldn't live without them. Without them the overall sound sounds crude and amateur.
Liked for the feedback alone
I didnt know David Vonderhaar plays guitar!
Loved this episode. It is so much better now with me recording via a clean amp with a power brick instead of daisy chaining. Always find the shows useful from you guys. Thank you. :)
If you applied a gate or suppressor to the music of half the bands I grew up listening to I would have grown up listening to half as many bands.
Bassplayers, Drummers, Keys and Singers need to watch this video. One of the main reasons I use VN pups in our covers band is because the Bassist thinks single-coil hum is "not good" or "not right". I have given up trying to explain, so put away Strat #1 w/proper Stratty singles and use Strat#2 w/USA Vintage Noiseless pups.
If Dan's Blonde is "Butters" then Big Red has to be "Cartman". South Park Teles.
Bravo Dan. I love when you guys do this type of video. Very very useful and educational. I know a little bit more now than I did an hour ago.
Go Right to 29 minutes!!!
I love my ISP Decimator II.
Evan Ward it's a decent pedal. Wish I would have known about the G-string before I picked it up, tbh. Anywhere between 12, and 1 o'clock, the decimator 2 really starts affecting tone
george adkins Not for me.
Hey! At 12:00 and 12:54. Did you steal that lick from me? ;) Or did you just as I steal it from The X-Files? Haha
SLAYER! Lol
Yea, they need a jcm 800 for this episode
Don’t forget the merit of the in-between pickup positions when using single coils.
I’ve had to change all the lighting in my studio due to interference from transformers.
This is such a great subject guys thanks for covering it.
Dan playing Slayer on a Telecaster. Pure gold.
The thing I didn't realise at first about the NS-2 (and similar pedals) is that the level detection and gate/expander happen in different places. Using the NS-2 jack labelling, the level detection happens between Input and Send, and the gate/expander is applied between Return and Output. That is, the Input signal is a sidechain for the gate/expander. This arrangement lets you use the lowest-noise, uncompressed signal for the level detector (by plugging your guitar straight in to the Input), and it doesn't matter how much extra noise is present in the signal coming back into the pedal's Return, it'll get muted when the guitar is quiet.
So, put your wah, compressor, boost, distortion, preamp, etc. between the Send and Return. Then route the pedal's Output into your amp's Return (yes, the pedal won't reduce noise from your amp's power stage, but that shouldn't be a problem). And, as explained in the video, you should place any delay/reverb effects after the pedal's Output so it won't be gated as well (unless that's what you're going for).
About the only issues with the scheme are: 1) the fadeout/gate when you cross the threshold can be abrupt, especially if you're relying on feedback to sustain a note or chord, and 2) changing conditions as you move around can raise the guitar's noise level above the threshold. And 3) the potential confusion of the extra cabling and having the amp in the pedal's FX loop and the pedal in the amp's FX loop simultaneously. :)
Saw Radiohead last night for the first time. Dan, beautiful work on Ed’s board. The sounds manifesting were otherworldly. That is all.
Ah, cheers mate :)
“Don’t just mask the problem. Start by understanding the problem.”
Got a D&M Drive on the weekend.
Love at first shwang. Well done
Hooray! Hope you love it!
Loved your approach to this complex topic about noise - you guys are always teaching me new things - nicely done! I just started using a TC Sentry for my P90 LP when pulling high gain out of my Marshall amp. Easy to switch the Sentry off when the gain is dialed back and its not needed. I just run it in the effects loop, but I will have to try the setup you used today. That Boss noise suppressor did a nice job as well ... hmmm. Loved that P90 guitar Mick! The creamy tones you pulled out of that guitar were amazing! 60 cycle hum is something to be embraced, not feared :)
Couldn't you just use Dubbly?
I think she means dolby
I think they mean Dubya.
...To bring in the allies for the War on Noise.
Very informative video. I've been enlightened. I'm a Bass Guitarist, I'm using the EHX Hum Cancelling pedal at the moment, coz our power here can be atrocious, and there's lots of interference. I've learned so much. Thank you.
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
That metal show!
I don like Dumble amp holders, BUTT i do like Dumblish pedals A WHOLE WHALE LOT! like the TOMSLINE Dumbler.........Mr Alfred , theres A klon pedal...............................,I just dialed in a pretty tone with a Mad prof simble, an its a complicated pedal.?!. maybe because Im finnish its so nice the Simble, , bout hte KLON no I have the TC EL Mojomo n does the Mosky Silver Horse do the same not of course, BUTT width a LOT of respect , for el guitar pedal SHOW! i must say your ears are good to go another one for thw road , Ive got immense pleasure of seeing you alive by livechat...., THE TWO PEDALS that Ive bought are Mad Professor SIMBLE n the DUDE, ..., lately I also bought 1 120W laney back ( repaired not by me), and I own 8 ZOOM G2s for hum gates& usurpers,,,,, for sixties hum ( for I was born 65), I have the EHX HUM debugger, so what shall I say to you two,,ILL say it again, Im a tube amplifier owner ( Laney TF300), ,I bought another one of thiose EHX Hum Debuggers, cuz I ainnt buying jazz from astranger, nor an amp for an coustic,,,,, headroom?
If I were a communist dictator, I would require all citizens to power their pedal boards using Dan's GigRig power supply system (expensive G2 optional for teachers). Dan, you changed this poor country school teacher's life, and I thank you good sir.
Ah, that’s awesome, thanks Josh :)
Talk to me in a year when I have the money. In the meantime, I make do with two cheap-ish bricks (one "regulated but not individually isolated", one with 8 properly isolated outputs) and a couple of separate adapters. Yes, it looks messy but it works. Total cost
We Commies tend to be cheap-arses.
Oh man dans new tele and that single p90 in micks lap..ughhhh...i did just score in early 2000s Les Paul special faded black man so good
I love how natural and how unforced these guys act, it just makes the viewing experience . It’s so much nicer over the usual shouty delivery of other content creators
William Campbell I like the sarcasm, however I don’t think you understood my point.
What I mean is that they don’t look like they put on some false persona i.e: they don’t act overly enthusiastic, shout lots and attempt to force comedy nor do they actively make out like everything they try is the best thing since sliced bread.
William Campbell sorry for taking your message too literally, it can be difficult to understand the tone of message over text 😁
I have the exact same hum but with humbuckers. And my guitar is completely shielded with copper foil ... Why my sound is not clean like in this video?
Could have a bad ground or missing ground connection in your guitars wiring
I appreciate the info, the demo... However, is 66 mins really required to explain this?
FUCKING SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!
Still saving for the whole G2 system for a big board however at the moment my small gig board, used all the time, uses a 1 spot daisy to power a D+M and a keeley comp only, then i have an HX FX and use its included supply...i also have a 1 spot cs12 brick on my medium board, its great...great episode guys!
Mike Nappi +1 for the CS12, superb power supply
I agree, I have one and it's great, but still doesn't have enough connectors. There are never enough!
That's why I use two bricks and two separate 9v adapters. C'est la vie.
It's all fine and dandy until you play in a bar with neon signs.
Fortin Zuul eats the Decimator, by the way.